A Society is Judged...

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:37-40 NIV)

Jesus told us that the poor shall alway be among us.  Poor begets poor.  It is a cycle.  It is something that is not just a state of finances.  It is a state of mind... a way of life... a state of being.  We cannot simply tell the poor to "stop being poor."  We can't just tell them to get a good job.  Support their families.  Stop having children they can't support.  Stop expecting the government to take care of them.  

We should only ask ourselves:  If we lost our job, our savings and any other source of income tomorrow, would we be excited because "now the governement will take care of me!"  Would we be glad to sit back and relax and let the money and benefits "roll in?"   Probably not.  We know that even with the help poor people get, they are still poor.  They still struggle to get enough to eat, decent medical care and a decent place to live.  None of us would change places with any of them.

But we also see the way many poor people abuse the help they get.  They buy inappropriate things.  They spend their welfare checks on drugs, alcohol, tobacco.  They sell their food stamps.  They buy expensive cars to park in their government subsidized housing.  They have smart phones.  Isn't giving them money just enabling them?

Some make it out of the cycle.  They have a special spark within them that makes them fight harder; or they are given an opportunity that isn't usually an option for people in their situations; or someone just cares enough to take a personal interest.  But because some have made it out, does not mean all are able.

The question of how to treat and help (or not help) the poor of our nation is a difficult one.  But Jesus did not put any restrictions on giving.  He didn't say to only help those who deserve it.  He didn't say only give to those who are working to break the cycle of poverty in their family.  He didn't say to only give through your church or non-profit agency.  He didn't say to give on condition that it is used in a way you see fit.

Any society, any nation, is judged on the basis of how it treats its weakest members; the last, the least, the littlest.

The above quote (in some form) has been attributed to many different people....Churchill, Pope John Paul II, Truman, Dostoyevsky among others.  Our governments - especially a democratic government - are reflections of the beliefs and morals of the people.  How our government treats the "least of these" is a reflection of us as individuals as well as as a nation.

There are so many poor people out there today.  And our society is making more every minute.  We may think we are safe right now.  We WANT to work.  We WANT to support ourselves.  But it can all be gone faster than we think.  Everything we have that we think could never be taken away, could be.  Maybe we should treat the "least of these" how we would want to be treated should we ever become one.

Lord Jesus,
Fill our hearts to over flowing with compassion that we will do whatever it takes to help the least of these.  May we as individuals, as well as our places of worship, as well as our charities, as well as our governments all be reflections of that compassion and love.  Amen.

Joys:  Richard will be home by the end of the week!; Chelsey cooking supper for us last night; September... not yet into a chilly Fall, but out of the worst heat of the summer.